435
Chapter 31
Control of Access of
Microorganisms: Cleaning,
Sanitation, and Disinfection
introduction
The internal tissues of plants and animals used as foods are essentially sterile. However, many
types of microorganisms capable of causing food spoilage and foodborne diseases enter foods
from different sources. This has been discussed in Chapter 3. It is impossible to prevent access of
microorganisms in food from these sources. However, it is possible to control their access to food
in order to reduce the initial load and minimize microbial spoilage and health hazard. This is what
regulatory agencies advocate and food processors try to achieve through sanitation.
When and how sanitation was introduced in food-handling operations is not clearly known.
However, the consequences of changes in food consumption and production patterns during the late
19th and early 20th centuries and the understanding of the scientific basis of food spoilage and foodborne diseases may have helped enhance food sanitation. An outcome of the Industrial Revolution
was an increased population in cities and urban areas, which needed processed foods for convenience
and a stable supply. The foods produced by available processing techniques were not safe. With the
knowledge of microbial association with food spoilage and foodborne diseases, food-processing techniques to reduce spoilage and ensure the safety of foods were studied. It was recognized during this
time that microorganisms can get into food from various sources but that proper cleaning and sanitation during handling of foods could reduce their levels, and a food with a lower level of microorganisms could be processed and preserved more effectively to ensure stability and safety than a food with
a high initial microbial load. Thus, sanitation became an integral part of food-processing operations.
In recent years, more foods than ever are being processed in both developed and developing
countries. In addition, particularly in some countries, such as the United States, many centralized
processing facilities are producing foods in large volumes. In these centralized plants, many types
of raw materials and finished products are handled at a rapid rate. This has been possible because
of the availability of needed processing technologies capable of handling large volumes. Some of
Chapter 31
Control of Access of
Microorganisms: Cleaning,
Sanitation, and Disinfection
introduction
The internal tissues of plants and animals used as foods are essentially sterile. However, many
types of microorganisms capable of causing food spoilage and foodborne diseases enter foods
from different sources. This has been discussed in Chapter 3. It is impossible to prevent access of
microorganisms in food from these sources. However, it is possible to control their access to food
in order to reduce the initial load and minimize microbial spoilage and health hazard. This is what
regulatory agencies advocate and food processors try to achieve through sanitation.
When and how sanitation was introduced in food-handling operations is not clearly known.
However, the consequences of changes in food consumption and production patterns during the late
19th and early 20th centuries and the understanding of the scientific basis of food spoilage and foodborne diseases may have helped enhance food sanitation. An outcome of the Industrial Revolution
was an increased population in cities and urban areas, which needed processed foods for convenience
and a stable supply. The foods produced by available processing techniques were not safe. With the
knowledge of microbial association with food spoilage and foodborne diseases, food-processing techniques to reduce spoilage and ensure the safety of foods were studied. It was recognized during this
time that microorganisms can get into food from various sources but that proper cleaning and sanitation during handling of foods could reduce their levels, and a food with a lower level of microorganisms could be processed and preserved more effectively to ensure stability and safety than a food with
a high initial microbial load. Thus, sanitation became an integral part of food-processing operations.
In recent years, more foods than ever are being processed in both developed and developing
countries. In addition, particularly in some countries, such as the United States, many centralized
processing facilities are producing foods in large volumes. In these centralized plants, many types
of raw materials and finished products are handled at a rapid rate. This has been possible because
of the availability of needed processing technologies capable of handling large volumes. Some of